Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the meetings are open to the public though certain portions of meetings or hearings may be closed.  For example, discussion of investigative matters or pending complaints is closed to the public.  Applications for licensure are reviewed in closed session.  Applicants for licensure are notified post Board meeting of the Board's decision (generally within 5 business days. The Board calendar advises how to attend a meeting.

The Board is an independent agency that regulates the practice of marriage and family therapy on behalf of the state of North Carolina. 

No, all  materials are submitted through the applicant portal. Paper applications are not accepted.

No. One hundred percent of the Board’s operating revenue comes from fees paid by its licensees, including applications and annual renewal fees. The Board does not receive any portion of the fees paid for taking the National MFT Exam.      

Board Members are appointed by the Governor of North Carolina. Four board members shall be practicing marriage and family therapists who are licensed in the state at the time of their appointment. Three members shall be representatives of the general public who have no direct affiliation with the practice of marriage and family therapy.

Licensee verification is available at www.ncbmft.org (in real time).  If the verification registry indicates "public record", a copy of the disciplinary action imposed is also published on the Board's website.

Board members may serve up to two consecutive four-year terms, subject to reappointment by the Governor.

The Board meets four times per year.  Generally meetings are held in February, April/May, August, October/November.  Refer to the Calendar at www.ncbmft.org for scheduled license application review meetings. 

Enrolling in a post-graduate doctoral program does NOT automatically mean you can practice without a license.  Per NC Statute, as an enrolled student you may qualify as being in an exempt setting IF you meet all three of the requirements as listed (i) enrolled in a master's level program or higher in a recognized educational institution (defined as a minimum of a regionally accredited university with a course of study in a mental health field equivalent to the MFT coursework required for licensure) , (ii) under supervision as approved by the Board (defined as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or Supervisory Candidate if the university program also recognizes those supervisors) in a training institution approved by the Board (defined as a site accepted by the university program for practicum or intern sites) , and (iii) designated by a title such as "marriage and family therapy intern." You must be designated as an intern or enrolled in a practicum approved by the program.  Your employer or a practice location cannot bestow the title of intern.  Most doctoral programs have specific prerequisites to consider you an intern.  In other words, your practice of MFT must coincide with your transcript practicums/internships and must be under the supervision of an AAMFT Supervisor or in some instances a Supervisory Candidate (only if accepted by your university program; cannot be a peer supervisor as defined by the AAMFT).  The Board reserves the right to make the final determination to accept or reject hours earned in university practicums/internships towards the requirements for licensure hours.

Yes. For LMFTAs, you must be under the supervision of a supervisor approved by the Board. The LMFTA Supervisor does not have to be in the office where you work; however, they must be readily available. Please note that the Board does not recommend private solo practice for the newly licensed LMFTAs.  If an LMFTA chooses to practice solo, they must also have the approval of their supervisor who is responsible for their practice.  A form completed by the supervisor must be on file with the Board.

No. The AAMFT and NCAMFT are professional associations while the NC MFT Licensure Board is the regulatory board governing the practice of marriage and family therapy in North Carolina. 

Telehealth refers to the mode of delivering health care services and public health via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient’s health care while the patient is at the originating site and the health care provider is at a distant site.

The exam is offered monthly.  The applicant portal provides more information, an examination roadmap which includes deadlines and requirements for registration with the exam service. The examination application deadline to the examination administration service will be the first day of the month, one month prior to the month the candidate wishes to take the exam. In other words, the application deadline to the examination service (Professional Testing Corporation - PTC) will be the first day of each month preceding the month in which the candidate wishes to take the exam.

All the information you need for applying for and taking the examination is included in the Examination Roadmap (handbook) found at the link provided in the applicant portal.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to review the handbook for answers to any questions.  The Board cannot provide individual consultation on the process.

Any retake or code reissuance requires requesting a new approval code and  a fee of $50 to the NC MFT Board in addition to the fees for exam registration and administration paid to the exam service.

No, exam scores do not expire.  If you have passed the National MFT Exam, the applicant portal provides information on how to have your score officially (required) transferred to the NC MFT Licensure Board for your application for licensure.

Exam Application are reviewed on a regular basis by Board staff.

Notification of application decision, if approved,  will be emailed to you with instructions on how to obtain an approval code for registering for the exam.

1st of each month: application/registration with the examination service (Professional Testing Corporation).

Approval to take the National MFT Exam and passing the National MFT Exam does not guarantee approval for licensure as a MFT in NC. The Exam is one component of the licensure process.  Approval to take the exam is issued based on whether a master’s degree in MFT or a related mental health degree with a minimum of 45 semester hours or the equivalent quarter hours has been conferred as evidenced by a university transcript from a regionally accredited university in accordance with NC Statutes.  Evaluation of education and supervised clinical experience does not occur until a complete application for licensure is submitted. 

Examinees will receive an individual score report sent to the address of record (directly from PTC) approximately 20 days after the last day of the examination period. Do not contact the NC MFT Licensure Board for your score. If you do not receive your score within 20 days from the end of the testing period, again, you must contact the exam service directly for assistance with obtaining your score. It is very important to retain your letter verifying your exam score as you will need a copy to submit when you apply for licensure in NC.  If you do not retain a copy, you will have to request a duplicate copy from the exam service and they charge a fee for that! 

A minimum of a master's degree in MFT or a related degree must have been conferred (as evidenced by a transcript) prior to applying for the examination.  The applicant portal provides more information on how to determine eligibility for applying to take the National MFT Examination.

The only exam accepted and recognized for NC MFT Licensure purposes is the National MFT Exam.  Passing the National MFT Exam is required of ALL applicants for licensure as an MFT in NC, regardless of length of licensure in another state.

There are no agreements or automatic reciprocity arrangements with any other state.  If you are requesting that the NC board consider you for licensure based on licensure as an MFT in another jurisdiction, you MAY be eligible IF a) you have  been a licensed MFT in good standing for the five previous, continuous years (with no lapse in licensure or disciplinary action) in a state recognized by the Board (at this time all states are recognized  as having equivalent academic and experience requirements) and b) submitted documentation that you have passed the National MFT examination and c) submitted a complete application.

The LMFT must be renewed on an annual basis. The first renewal is due by July 1 after the first full year of licensure and then must be renewed each year by July 1. 

The Board cannot provide a pre-evaluation of your coursework.  However, you should refer to the licensure guidelines for course information. Coursework completed through COAMFTE accredited programs is accepted.  All other applicants are considered related degree applicants and must submit syllabi from the degree program. The syllabi must be from the actual time you completed the course. You may wish to request assistance from your university in securing the required syllabi.  Applications for licensure with a related degree cannot be processed until the syllabi requirement has been demonstrated.   

The NC MFT Board only regulates licensure for MFTs.  Questions about other licensure boards should be directed to those boards.

For questions about payment practices, your state association, the advocacy organization for MFTs may be able to provide guidance.  Contact the NCAMFT via www.ncamft.org or provider services with the specific insurance company.

Information about the process to become an AAMFT Approved Supervisor is found at www.aamft.org.

If you are receiving supervision from two approved supervisors, document the hours from each supervisor on separate forms.

Applications are submitted through the applicant portal and as submitted materials are reviewed and accepted, your status is updated.  You may log-in to your applicant portal account at any time and see what has been accepted or is pending.

Please email Tara Strickland, director@ncbmft.org to request a name change.  

 Licensees should notify the Board of any address change within 30 days.  You can log into LearningBuilder and change your address under your profile.  

A verification of licensure may be printed directly from www.ncbmft.org.  There is no charge for web verification. Information that is provided includes name, license number, date of original licensure, expiration date, and whether there are any disciplinary actions (public record). 

MFTs have both a legal and ethical obligation to retain client records.  The Board, therefore, recognizes the necessity and importance of a licensee’s proper maintenance, retention, and disposition of client records.  Licensees should also make provisions for disposition of records in the event of closing a practice or death of a licensee.  State and federal laws require that records be kept for a minimum length of time including but not limited to the following:  

a. Medicare and Medicaid Investigations (up to 7 years);

b. HIPAA (up to 6 years);

c. Except for minor clients, five years after the date of the last session;

d. Minor clients – 5 years after the age of consent was or would have been reached. 

All completed applications for licensure are reviewed around the 5th and 20th of each month. 

The LMFTA is a provisional license. The licensee will have up to three years in which to acquire the remaining clinical and supervised hours required for unrestricted licensure (LMFT).  Annual renewal will be required for each year of LMFTA licensure. Twenty hours of continuing education are required, including three hours of ethics. Up to twelve hours of acquired supervision may be counted toward these twenty hours. 

A total of 1500 clinical hours with 200 approved supervision hours (AAMFT Approved Supervisor or accepted Supervisory Candidate) is the minimum requirement.  Up to 500 clinical hours and any amount of approved supervision earned while in your qualifying degree program may be counted toward the licensure requirement.  The remaining 1000 hours must be acquired, under approved supervision (AAMFT Approved Supervisor or accepted Supervisory Candidate) or post licensure (LMFTA). A minimum of 25 supervision hours must be acquired post degree, regardless of the number of hours earned prior to completion of your degree.  In other words, even if you earned 200 supervision hours during your degree program, you would still need at least 25 more post degree. 

Transcripts: Must be sent directly, electronically * from the issuing institution (i.e. the university office or their designated transcript processing company) to the Board. Email to executivedirector@ncbmft.org

Name Changes: If the name on your transcript is different than the name on your application, documentation such as a copy of your marriage license, divorce decree, or court order, must be submitted with your application(s) for the National MFT Exam or any licensure application. * If your university cannot issue an electronic transcript, an original (hard copy) may be mailed to the Board's office address.  Be aware there may be a delay in receipt and processing of mailed transcripts.

If a written verification of licensure is required, email Paola Learoyd at executivedirector@ncbmft.org and include any form the other state would like completed. 
If the state does not have a specific form, a letter on Board letterhead, signed by the Executive Director with the licensure Board seal affixed can be prepared.  The verification letter is sent (electronically or snail mail) directly to the email/address provided. The Board's written verification form is generally accepted by all other state licensure boards and entities. 

 One quarter hour equals .67 semester hours. You will have to complete enough courses in the required coursework categories to meet the minimum semester hour requirements.  Taking the same course twice will not suffice.  

As long as you are licensed in NC, in good standing, you can practice in NC no matter where you are physically located.  However, if you are in another state, you need to check with that licensure board as to what is permissible under their regulations.  The NC MFT Board cannot advise on the regulations and requirements of other state boards.  Again, the NC MFT license is valid only for practice in NC.

Application fees are non-refundable.

Carefully review all the information provided on the Board's website, including the FAQs.  The licensure process is objective, not subjective, meaning the Board must follow NC Laws and Statutes governing the practice of MFT in North Carolina.  Once you create an applicant portal, the system guides you through the requirements for documentation.  The Board cannot provide individual consultation on the licensure process nor can exceptions to the requirements be granted.  Prior to initiating the application process, again, carefully review the information provided.

Once the review process has been completed and your status is updated to Approved, you will be able to print an original license directly from LearningBuilder.

No, only complete applications are reviewed.  The Board's website provides information as to the minimum education/coursework requirements. 

Yes. You must remain under the minimum supervision requirements until you are notified that LMFT has been approved which is at least one hour per month.

Application fees are non-refundable.

The experience may count toward the education requirement of 9 semester hours IF the practicums/internships are listed on your transcript; however, the hours will not count toward the licensure requirement.  You will need to earn 1500 clinical and 200 supervision hours post-degree under the supervision of an  AAMFT Approved Supervisor or AAMFT Supervisory Candidate (approved and accepted by the Board) or post licensure (LMFTA) as an LMFTA before applying for LMFT.

There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this requirement. 

Contact the university program director responsible for the practicums/internships (if they are an AAMFT Approved Supervisor) to verify your experience hours; however, you should first try to locate the original supervisor. 

The clinical and supervision hours reporting forms and process is available via LearningBuilder.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA)

The Board has adopted the AAMFT Code of Ethics.  View the code at www.aamft.org.

Refer to the Licensing Guidelines under the licensure section of www.ncbmft.org

For hours to count toward the minimum of 1500 clinical and 200 supervision hours, the hours must be acquired under the direction of an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or accepted Supervisory Candidate who is also licensed in the state of North Carolina.  Locate AAMFT Approved Supervisors at www.aamft.org.  

There are no exceptions to this rule. 

Endorsement forms must be completed by individuals familiar with your MFT practice (colleagues, co-workers, professors, etc.). For LMFTA applicants, at least one endorsement form must be completed by an individual that has served as your past/present supervisor. Relatives, subordinates, and clients are not acceptable references.

These are optional fields, not published and are used for determining things such as eligibility for board appointments (appointments are required to be from different districts). The state is committed to diversity as well and having this data assists with the process.  The advocacy organization for MFTs (the NCAMFT) often asks the Board for lists of licensees by Congressional District when there is an issue before the legislature that may affect MFTs in the State of North Carolina.  The NCAMFT can more effectively provide legislative alerts and calls to action with this data.

The licensure board does not verify National MFT Examination scores. You will need to request those scores directly from Professional Examination Services (PES) via the “Score Transfer Request” 

See our website:  https://www.ncbmft.org/resources-and-information/professional-resources/clinical-and-supervision-hours-reporting

Renewal of your license is required on an annual basis (once you have been licensed at least one year.  Your license expiration date, listed in your licensee portal/account or on your license is the date by which you must renew your license. You will receive renewal reminders starting on April 1 of each renewal year if your license is due to be renewed.

No. CE hours may not be carried forward from the renewal period in which they were earned.

If you will not be practicing MFT you may choose to place your license on inactive status by submitting a written request to the Board office via the licensure portal. While the license is on inactive status, no renewal fee or continuing education are due to the Board. However, there is a inactive maintenance fee of $50 required on a yearly basis .  Placing the license on inactive status would avoid the license from being suspended for failure to renew or having to renew the license if it is not needed at this time. Currently, no further information would need to be submitted to the Board office once the license was placed on inactive status, until which time you wish to reactivate the license. Currently, there is no time limitation for the license to remain on inactive status as long as the annual inactive maintenance fee is submitted by July 1 of each year.

If the license has been placed on inactive status and the expiration date has passed, you may re-activate the license by submitting the Renewal request and documenting the required continuing education during the most current two-year period and the reactivation fee of $200. The required continuing education must be submitted to the Board office for the license to be re-activated.

Renewals are submitted via LearningBuilder. Detailed instructions will be provided.  

A license that has expired for two years or more, and was not renewed and was not placed on inactive status (through written notification received by the Board), cannot be reinstated or reactivated. This is NOT a disciplinary suspension but it does require additional information to reactivate. Re-activating a  license that has been suspended for failure to renew requires re-application and fees.

There is no restriction on the number of hours that may be obtained on-line or in person.

Yes, active duty service people or their spouses who are deployed outside the U.S. may request waiver of continuing education requirements for any renewal year.  

The Board does not pre approve courses.  It is the responsibility of the licensee to use their professional judgment as to the content meeting the requirements for MFT therapeutic or Ethics coursework.  If a course is submitted and you are subsequently audited and a course is rejected, you will be given up to 90 days from the notification of course rejection to submit a replacement course.

LMFTAs should be mindful of the maximum allotted time frame (3 years, 4 with request for an extension approved) for completing all requirements for the LMFT as non-practicing status inactive status does not 'stop the clock' LMFTAs who do not meet the requirements within the maximum allotted time will be required to reapply for LMFTA.  The National MFT Examination score will not expire, nor will clinical and supervision hours earned while in the qualifying degree program.  However, hours accrued during the initial LMFTA will not carry over.

Implementing the new system requires consistency in formatting. Previous data systems (last year's renewal process and the main database) were not compatible. To avoid inconsistencies or inaccurate data in some instances as well as security of date of birth, social security number, etc. you will need to update the information requested as much as possible. Data such as your name, license number, license issue date and expiration date are considered 'static' data and cannot be changed by the licensee. Some fields such as exam score are optional for those who are currently licensed. Exam scores will be required for all new applicants. 

No, a late fee will be automatically added to your account and cannot be waived.  Essentially, your license must be reinstated and the fee is $200.

No, there is no retired status.

It is the licensee’s responsibility to obtain and maintain CE documentation with their professional records for three years. Licensees will need documentation of attendance for renewal purposes. The original certificate of attendance or other written verification of attendance should reflect the sponsor’s name, date of training, title of training/course title, number of hours awarded and your name.

20 hours and at least three of the 20 hours must be MFT Ethics coursework.  Refer to the Administrative Rules for more information.

Upon written request from a licensee prior to the renewal date explaining the circumstances and/or verification from a licensed medical professional, the Board may grant an extension or exemption for all or part of the required hours.

Hours shall be granted for actual time spent as a learner in a structured, educational format. Breaks, lunches, business meetings, and committee meetings may not be counted. Proof of attendance must include a certificate denoting contact hour(s). In addition, the following (on line or traditional) may be utilized for continuing education: a 3 semester hour graduate level course = 45 contact hours, a 1 semester hour graduate level course = 15 contact hours or a 1 quarter hour graduate level course - 10 credit hours. Evidence of completion is a transcript verifying course completion.

Refer to the Administrative Rules for more information.

Related Links

• Administrative Rules for Continuing Education (effective 7/1/2011)

To verify your expiration date log-in to the licensee portal and review your profile.  Your expiration date is located there and you may also print a current license that indicates your expiration date.

Licensees may acquire/count continuing education hours from the initial date of licensure until the first renewal date.  After the first renewal, continuing education hours must be acquired between July 1 and June 30 of each renewal period/year.  Carryover hours are not permitted.

These are optional fields, not published and are used for determining things such as eligibility for board appointments (appointments are required to be from different districts). The state is committed to diversity as well and having this data assists with the process.  The advocacy organization for MFTs (the NCAMFT) often asks the Board for lists of licensees by Congressional District when there is an issue before the legislature that may affect MFTs in the State of North Carolina.  The NCAMFT can more effectively provide legislative alerts and calls to action with this data.

The Board is required by state statutes to collect this information for State of NC required reports.  Social Security numbers may be used for background checks.